Systems and methods for network failover in digital substations

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for network failover in digital substations are provided. One method includes receiving, by an intelligent electronic device (IED) from a process interface unit (PIU), in parallel a pre-configured data stream via a point-to point connection and one or more other data streams via an Ethernet network. The method further includes determining that at least one of the following failure conditions is satisfied: a frame in the pre-configured data stream is lost or delayed, quality of the data in the frame in the data stream is below a first threshold, period of the time associated with the data in the frame in the data stream is below a second threshold, or a health indicator associated with the PIU is below a third threshold. The method further allows identifying at least one redundant frame in the one or more other data streams. If the quality of data in redundant frame is satisfactory, the method proceeds to use the redundant frame for further processing.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No.15/483,591, filed Apr. 10, 2017, which is a continuation-in-part of andclaims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 15/222,484, titled “Systems and Methodsfor Configuration-Less Process Bus with Architectural Redundancy inDigital Substations,” filed Jul. 28, 2016, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a digital substation and, more particularly,to systems and methods for network failover in digital substations.

BACKGROUND

The use of digital substations has been increasing. Differences betweendigital substations and conventional substations can include a reductionin wiring between components of a substation (such as transformers,circuit breakers, protection relays, and so forth) and sharing ofinformation among multivendor devices to provide interoperability of thedevices.

Operations of the components of a digital substation can be automatedusing merging units (MUs) or process interface units (PIUs) andIntelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs). The IEDs can be programmed tomonitor, control, and protect the substation components. A process bus,such as an Ethernet network, can be used to organize communicationsbetween IEDs and the MUs/PIUs.

Conventional standards can include requirements for physical securityand cyber security of equipment in a switchyard of a digital substation.Meeting the requirements may require a certain engineering process forconfiguration of IEDs and a process bus. Any reconfiguration ormaintenance of equipment of the digital substation may be expensive andtime consuming.

Additional measures may be needed to ensure reliability ofcommunications between IEDs and the substation components. Conventionalsolutions for providing the reliability of the communications may bebased on parallel redundancy protocol (PRP) or High-availabilitySeamless Redundancy (HSR) protocol. However, the parallel redundancy forthe PRP or HSR may be provided using similar Ethernet switched networks,which can be prone to similar failure modes associated with packetswitching techniques.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for network failover indigital substations. Certain embodiments of the disclosure can enhancecyber security, engineering, reliability, and maintenance of digitalsubstations.

According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a method for providingnetwork failover is provided. The method can include providing at leastone process interface unit (PIU). The method can further includeproviding at least one intelligent electronic device (IED) beingcommunicatively coupled to the at least one PIU. The method may furtherinclude providing an Ethernet network configured to transmit databetween the PIU and the IED. The method may allow receiving in parallel,by the IED, from the PIU, a pre-configured data stream, via apoint-to-point connection between the PIU and the IED, and one or moreother data streams via the Ethernet network. The method further includesdetermining, by the IED, that at least one of failure conditions issatisfied. The at least one of the failure conditions include one ormore of the following: at least one frame in the pre-configured datastream is lost or delayed, a quality of the data in the at least oneframe in the pre-configured data stream is below a first threshold, aperiod of a time associated with the data in the at least one frame inthe pre-configured data stream is below a second threshold, and a healthindicator associated with one of a behavior and an operation mode of thePIU is below a third threshold. Responsive to the determination, themethod may include identifying, by the IED, at least one redundant framein the one or more other data streams. The method can also includedetermining, by the IED, that the quality of the data in the redundantframe is above the first threshold and the period of the time in theredundant frame is above the second threshold. If the result of thedetermination is positive, the method may proceed with processing, bythe IED, the redundant frame, wherein processing includes at leasttransforming the data. If, on the other hand, the result of thedetermination is negative, the method may include determining, by theIED, a number of frames in the pre-configured data stream for which thefailure conditions are satisfied. If the number of frames is below atolerance threshold, the method may proceed with labeling, by the IED,at least one frame as having a poor quality and sending the frame forfurther processing. If the number is above the tolerance threshold, themethod proceeds with issuing, by the IED, at least one alarm.

In some embodiments, the method may further include determining, basedon predetermined criteria, by the IED, whether the pre-configured datastream includes quality data.

In some embodiments, the PIU includes at least one pre-configuredcommunication port defined by one of a factory setting or a product codeorder.

In some embodiments, at least one of the pre-configured data stream andthe one or more other data streams include at least one dataset. The atleast one dataset may include at least one field for a unique identifier(UID). In certain embodiments, the method may further include mapping,by the IED, the dataset to a user-defined source based on the UID. Insome embodiments, the method may further include transforming, by theIED, the dataset based on user-defined transformation factors to avoid aconfiguration by the PIU.

In some embodiments, the dataset includes a Generic Object OrientedSubstation Event. In certain embodiments, the dataset includes sampledvalues. The sampled values can include at least one of a current outputdirectly measured from a current transformer and a voltage outputdirectly measured from a voltage transformer.

Other embodiments, systems, methods, features, and aspects will becomeapparent from the following description taken in conjunction with thefollowing drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example digital substation,according to certain embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration-lessprocess bus, according to certain embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration-lessprocess bus with architectural redundancy, according to certainembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is flow chart illustrating an example method for aconfiguration-less process bus, according to certain embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 is flow chart illustrating an example method for providing anetwork failover, according to certain embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example controller forprocessing data, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

The following detailed description includes references to theaccompanying drawings, which form part of the detailed description. Thedrawings depict illustrations, in accordance with example embodiments.These example embodiments, which are also referred to herein as“examples,” are described in enough detail to enable those skilled inthe art to practice the present subject matter. The example embodimentsmay be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, or structural,logical, and electrical changes may be made, without departing from thescope of the claimed subject matter. The following detailed descriptionis, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope isdefined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments of the disclosure can include systems and methodsfor network failover in digital substations. In certain instances, someembodiments of the systems and methods can enhance security andstability of the digital substations by eliminating or otherwiseminimizing the need for physical security and by providing cybersecurityof equipment in the digital substations. Certain embodiments of thedisclosure may provide an architectural redundancy of a communicationnetwork by allowing the elimination or minimizing of common modes offailure in redundant communications channels.

In certain embodiments of the disclosure, a system for network failoveris provided. The system can include at least one process interface unit(PIU). The PIU may include at least one pre-configured communicationport defined by one of a factory setting or a product code order. ThePIU may be operable to transmit and receive a data stream. The datastream may include at least one pre-configured dataset. Thepre-configured dataset from PIU may include at least one field forsampled values measured at least at one source. The source may includeat least one of a current transformer (CT) or a voltage transformer(VT). The pre-configured dataset may further include a field for aunique identifier associated with the source. The system may include atleast one intelligent electronic device (IED) communicatively coupled tothe PIU. The IED may be operable to receive the data stream from the PIUand transform the sampled values based on user-defined transformationfactors and, thereby, avoiding configuration in the PIU.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, the system may include anEthernet network operable to transmit data streams between the PIU andthe IED with or without Ethernet redundancy protocols, such as IEC 62439based Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) or High-availability SeamlessRedundancy (HSR) or Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP), etc. In someembodiments, the IED may be further operable to receive from the PIU inparallel: the pre-configurable data stream via a point-to-pointconnection and one or more other data streams via the Ethernet network.In certain embodiments, the IED can be further operable to adjustquality of the data in the pre-configured stream using the one or moreother data streams based on a network failover mechanism.

In certain embodiments of the disclosure, a network failover mechanismcan include determining that at least one of failure conditions issatisfied: at least one frame in the pre-configured data stream is lostor delayed, quality of the data in the at least one frame in the datastream is below a first threshold, quality of the time associated withthe data in the at least one frame in the data stream is below a secondthreshold, or a health indicator associated with one of a behavior or anoperation mode of the at least one PIU is below a third threshold.Responsive to the determination, the network failover mechanism canprovide identifying at least one redundant frame in the one or moreother data streams. The network failover mechanism can includedetermining whether the quality of the data in the redundant frame isabove the first threshold and the quality of the time in the at leastone redundant frame is above the second threshold. If the results of thedetermination are positive, a network failover mechanism may use atleast one redundant frame for processing. If, on the other hand, theresults of the determination are negative, the network failovermechanism may determine a number of frames in the data stream for whichthe failure conditions are satisfied. If the number is below a tolerancethreshold, the network failover mechanism can label the frames as havingpoor quality and send the frames for further processing. If the numberis above the tolerance threshold, the network failover mechanism mayproceed with issuing at least one alarm.

Technical effects of certain embodiments of the disclosure may includeproviding compliance with infrastructure protection requirements withoutneed for physical security of merging units in switchyards of digitalsubstations. Further technical effects of certain embodiments of thedisclosure may allow reducing engineering effort in a configuration of aprocess bus for a customer or project team. Certain technical effects ofcertain embodiments of the disclosure may also provide increasedreliability of the process bus, thus improving the functionality of theprocess bus.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating anexample digital substation 100, according to certain embodiments of thedisclosure. The digital substation 100 may include a switchyard 105. Theswitchyard 105 may include primary equipment such as, but not limitedto, CTs 115, VTs 120, protective relays 125, circuit breakers 130,switchgears, and other devices involved in operations of the digitalsubstation 100. The CTs 115 and VTs 120 can be operable to receive highvoltage current via primary power lines 110 and transfer a low voltagecurrent to secondary power lines 140. In some embodiments, theswitchyard 105 can include process interface units/merging units(PIU/MUs) 135. The PIU/MUs 135 can be operable to measure current andvoltage from the CTs 115 and the VTs 120 and provide control commands tothe protective relays 125. In response to receiving the controlcommands, the protective relays 125 may be configured to trip thecircuit breakers 130. In some embodiments, the PIU/MUs 135 can beconnected, via copper wires, to the CTs 115, the VTs 120, and/or theprotective relays 125.

In some embodiments, data measured by the PIU/MUs 135 can be provided toone or more IEDs 145. The IEDs 145 may be operable to analyze the dataobtained from PIU/MUs 135, make a decision based on the analysis, andsend control commands back to the PIU/MUs 135. The data may include oneor more sampled values (SV) and associated event data, such as dataformatted as Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) data. TheSV can include electrical measurements received from the CTs 115 and theVTs 120 converted by the PIU/MUs 135 into a digital format. The GOOSEdata may flow bi-directionally. The GOOSE data may include digitizedstatus or analog information obtained by PIU/MUs 135 from process andsent to IEDs 145. The GOOSE data may further include output or functionsfrom IEDs 145 to PIU/MUs 135. In various embodiments of the disclosure,the IEDs 145 and the PIU/MUs 135 may include a controller (a combinationof hardware and software) for data processing. An example controllersuitable for the data processing is described below with reference toFIG. 6.

A process bus 160 (a specific communications arrangement) can be used toorganize communications between the PIU/MUs 135 and the IEDs 145. Insome embodiments, the process bus may include point-to-pointcommunications between the IEDs 145 and the PIU/MUs 135. In someembodiments, the process bus 150 may include an Ethernet-based localarea network (LAN) 230 configured to provide a connection between thePIU/MUs 135 and IEDs 145. The LAN 230 may include optical wires andEthernet switches.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example system 200 for aconfiguration-less process bus, according to certain embodiments of thedisclosure. The system 200 can include IEDs 145, PIU/MUs 135, LAN 230,and engineering computer 220. The PIU/MUs 135 include communicationsports 225. The PIU/MUs 135 may supports four or more communication ports225 with individual logical devices and time synchronization clocks.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, the IEDs 145 may include apre-configurable processing 205 of data received from at least one ofthe PIU/MUs 135. In some embodiments, the IEDs 145 may include apre-configurable and configurable processing 210 of datasets receivedfrom at least one of the PIU/MUs 135. An individual PIU/MU 135 mayprovide data to a specific IED 145 via a point-to-point connection. Insome embodiments, the pre-configurable processing 205 is operable toprocess the datasets obtained via the point-to-point connection. In someembodiments, an individual configured or pre-configured PIU/MU 135 maypublish datasets to LAN 230, thereby allowing the IEDs 145 to subscribeto receive the data from PIU/MUs 135. In some embodiments, thepre-configurable and configurable processing 210 may process the dataobtained via LAN 230.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, components of the system 200 fora process bus are preconfigured using factory settings and/or productorder codes of primary equipment and PIU/MUs 135. In some embodiments,the PIU/MUs 135 may be operable to transfer data to the IEDs 145 indatasets. The datasets may include a unique identifier (UID) anddigitized SV. The digitized SV may include secondary values measuredfrom available CTs 115, VTs 120, and timestamps or sampled count. Thetransferred and received datasets may also include GOOSE data based onavailable hardware for contact inputs (CI) to the protective relays 125and other logical/device statuses. In some embodiments, the PIU/MUs 135may receive pre-configured datasets including GOOSE data for contactoutputs (CO) from the protective relays 125 and other related commandsand statuses. In some embodiments, data stream between PIU/MUs 135 andIEDs 145 is formatted based on the IEC 61850 or IEC 61869 format.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, the PIU/MUs 135 may be configuredto stream measured SV with the UID. The measured SV may include rawsamples of currents and voltages from CTs 115 and VTs 120 in secondaryvalues. The PIU/MU 135 can specify a fixed (factory provided)pre-configuration (including UID) using IID. The PIU/MUs 135 may notneed a configured IED description (CID) file for configuration.Therefore, the PIU/MUs 135 may not require any configuration at theinstallation site.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, the IEDs 145 and switches of LAN230 may be configured with CID files using the pre-configured IID(factory provided) files of the PIU/MUs 135. In some embodiments, theIEDs 145 can receive streams of SV in secondary values with UID. Afterreceiving the SV, the IEDs 145 may apply user-configurabletransformation factors (TFs), for example CT ratios and VT ratios, ratioor angle errors, and so forth, in order to convert the received SV toother formats (for example, primary values) to perform furtherprocessing.

In some other embodiments of the disclosure, the PIU/MUs 135 can applyTFs or other format factors communicated from the factory as part of anorder code or factory service settings if the factory hardcodes theformat factors in the PIU/MUs 135. In these embodiments, the PIU/MUs 135can send a factory-configured stream with a factory-configured ID(instead of UID) and factory-configured TFs for SV streams in primaryvalues instead of applying user-configurable TFs to secondary values inthe IEDs 145.

In certain embodiments, the engineering computer 220 may be needed foran initial configuration of the IEDs 145 and the LAN 230. At time offirst use of the system 200, for example, at commissioning of thedigital substation 100, the engineering computer 220 may be used to readthe pre-configured IID files of the PIU/MUs 135. The IEDs 145 andnetwork switches of LAN 230 can be configured then with CID files usingthe pre-configured IID files of the PIU/MUs 135. The engineeringcomputer 220 may not be needed during regular operations of the digitalsubstation 100 and can be removed from the system 200.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example system 300 for aconfiguration-less process bus with architectural redundancy, accordingto certain embodiments of the disclosure. The system 300 can includeIEDs 145, PIU/MU devices 135, and LAN 230. The PIU/MUs 135 can includecommunications ports 225. The functionalities of the elements of thesystem 300 are analogous to the functionality of corresponding elementsof system 200 described in FIG. 2, except for the IEDs 145. In exampleof FIG. 3, the IEDs 145 include an architectural redundancy processing235.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, two alternative network ports ofIEDs 145 may be configured to receive two data streams of datasets fromPIU/MU 135 separately. The first (or primary) of the two alternativenetwork ports may be configured for a dedicated point-to-pointconnection 240 between the IED 145 and the PIU/MU 135. In someembodiments, the point-to-point connection 240 can be pre-configured.The second (or secondary) of the two alternative ports may be connectedto a shared Ethernet switch of LAN 230 to provide a configurable networkconnection 245 between the IED 145 and the PIU/MU 135. Thus, the IED mayreceive a first data stream from the PIU/MU 135 via the point-to-pointconnection 245 and a second data stream, or one or more other datastreams, from the PIU/MU 135 via the Ethernet network connection 245.The architectural redundancy processing 235 may include analyzing thetwo data streams and adjusting the two data streams in order to enhancequality of the received data.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, the IED may identify the SVstream based on a time of arrival. In some embodiments, the IED maycheck quality and health indicators, such as quality of SV data andtimestamps. The time′ quality may be related to delays of frames in adata stream and missing timestamps. In some embodiments, if some of theSV data in the first data stream are missing or received with a degradedquality, the IED may look for the missed SV data in the second datastream, or in the one or more other data streams. If the quality of thecorresponding SV data in the second data stream, or in the one or moreother data streams, is within a predetermined tolerance, then the SVdata from the second data stream, or in the one or more other datastreams, can be used for further processing, such as transformingsecondary values for current and voltage to primary values. In someembodiments, the IED may provide event logs and other notifications incase of identified failures in the data streams. Since the first datastream and the second data stream, or in the one or more other datastreams, are obtained via two connections of different types, thisapproach may provide enhanced reliability of the network connection asthe two connections have different modes of failure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 400 for aconfiguration-less process bus, according to an embodiment of thedisclosure. The method 400 can, for example, be implemented in digitalsubstation 100. Some operations of method 400 may be embedded in programinstructions of controllers of IEDs 145 and PIU/MUs 135.

In block 402, the method 400 may commence with providing at least onePIU. The PIU may include at least one pre-configured communication portdefined by one of a factory setting or a product code order.

In block 404, the method 400 may transmit and receive, by the PIU, apre-configurable data stream. The pre-configurable data stream mayinclude at least one dataset. The dataset can include sampled valuesmeasured from a current transformer or a voltage transformer. Thedataset may further include GOOSE data. The dataset may further includea unique identifier associated with the PIU.

In block 406, the method 400 may provide at least one intelligentelectronic device (IED) communicatively coupled to the PIU. In block408, the method 400 may receive, by the IED, the pre-configurable datastream from the PIU. In block 410, the method 400 may optionallyreceive, by the IED, a second data stream, or one or more other datastreams, using a network connection. In block 412, the method 400 mayoptionally adjust, by the IED, the data stream using the second datastream, or the one or more other data streams, based on execution of anetwork failover mechanism. In block 414, the method 400 may map, by theIED, the pre-configured data stream to a user-defined source using theUID. In block 416, the method 400 may further transform, by the IED, thepre-configured data stream including sampled values and/or the GOOSEusing UID and user-defined transformation factors.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 500 for a networkfailover mechanism, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Themethod 500 can be implemented, for example, using IED 145 of system 300described above with reference to FIG. 3. The method 500 may provideadditional details for block 412 of the method 400. Operations of method500 may be embedded in program instructions of controllers of the IEDs145.

In block 502, the method 500 may commence with detecting a failure dueto loss or delay of frames in a (first) data stream or with determiningthat quality of data or time has degraded below a threshold qualityvalue. The data may include sampled values and/or GOOSE data. Thethreshold quality value may be independent for sampled values, GOOSEdata, and time. In some embodiments of the disclosure, detecting afailure may include determining that a health indication is below ahealth threshold. The health indication may be associated with abehavior and/or an operation mode of the PIU sending the first datasteam. In block 504, the method 500 may identify redundant frames from asecond data stream, or from one or more other data streams. Theredundant frames may represent the frames of the data stream that aremissing or have degraded quality. In block 506, the method 500 maydetermine whether a quality of sampled values and timestamps in theredundant frames are within thresholds.

If the quality of the data and time in the redundant frames are withinthe thresholds, method 500 may proceed, in block 508, with sending theredundant frames from the second data stream, or the one or more otherdata streams, for further processing and quality adjustment of thesampled values obtained from the first data stream.

If the quality of the data and time in the redundant frames are notwithin the thresholds, then method 500 may log, in block 510, thecondition of the sampled data and timestamps and check a number of theframes affected by failure. In block 512, the method 500 may determinewhether a number of frames affected by the failure are within atolerance. If the number of the frames affected by failure is not withinthe tolerance, then the method 500 may issue an alarm in block 514. Inblock 516, the method 500 may label the affected frames as having poorquality and send data for the affected frames to further processing. Inblock 518, the method 500 may determine whether data with good qualityare available in the (first) data stream.

FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example controller 600for processing data streams, in accordance with an embodiment of thedisclosure. The controller 600 may include a memory 610 that storesprogrammed logic 620 (e.g., software) and may store data 630, such asgeometrical data and the operation data of a substation, a dynamicmodel, performance metrics, and the like. The memory 610 also mayinclude an operating system 640.

A processor 650 may utilize the operating system 640 to execute theprogrammed logic 620, and in doing so, may also utilize the data 630. Adata bus 660 may provide communication between the memory 610 and theprocessor 650. Users may interface with the controller 600 via at leastone user interface device 670, such as a keyboard, mouse, control panel,or any other devices capable of communicating data to and from thecontroller 600. The controller 600 may be in communication with thesubstation online while operating, as well as in communication with thesubstation offline while not operating, via an input/output (I/O)interface 680. More specifically, one or more of the controllers 600 maycarry out the execution of the model-based control system, in order to,but not limited to, receive geometrical data and operational dataassociated with components of the substation, create a dynamic model ofthe substation for components based on the geometrical data and theoperational data, generate a surrogate model for a specific performancemetric based on the dynamic model, incorporate the surrogate model intoan optimization procedure, and exercise the optimization procedure underan optimization objective to optimize operations of the substation forthe specific performance metric. Additionally, it should be appreciatedthat other external devices or multiple other substations may be incommunication with the controller 600 via the I/O interface 680.Further, the controller 600 and the programmed logic 620 implementedthereby may include software, hardware, firmware, or any combinationthereof. It should also be appreciated that multiple controllers 600 maybe used, whereby different features described herein may be executed onone or more different controllers 600.

References are made to block diagrams of systems, methods, apparatuses,and computer program products according to example embodiments. It willbe understood that at least some of the blocks of the block diagrams,and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams, may be implemented atleast partially by computer program instructions. These computer programinstructions may be loaded onto a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, special purpose hardware-based computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions which execute on the computer or other programmabledata processing apparatus create means for implementing thefunctionality of at least some of the blocks of the block diagrams, orcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams discussed.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in anon-transitory, computer-readable memory that can direct a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instruction meansthat implement the function specified in the block or blocks. Thecomputer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions that execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide operations for implementing the functions specified inthe block or blocks.

One or more components of the systems and one or more elements of themethods described herein may be implemented through an applicationprogram running on an operating system of a computer. They also may bepracticed with other computer system configurations, including hand-helddevices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor based or programmableconsumer electronics, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the like.

Application programs that are components of the systems and methodsdescribed herein may include routines, programs, components, datastructures, and so forth that implement certain abstract data types andperform certain tasks or actions. In a distributed computingenvironment, the application program (in whole or in part) may belocated in local memory or in other storage. In addition, oralternatively, the application program (in whole or in part) may belocated in remote memory or in storage to allow for circumstances wheretasks are performed by remote processing devices linked through acommunications network.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the example descriptions setforth herein to which these descriptions pertain will come to mindhaving the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoingdescriptions and the associated drawings. Thus, it will be appreciatedthat the disclosure may be embodied in many forms and should not belimited to the example embodiments described above. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for network failover, the systemcomprising: at least one process interface unit (PIU); at least oneintelligent electronic device (IED) being communicatively coupled to theat least one PIU; and an Ethernet network configured to transmit databetween the at least one PIU and the at least one IED; wherein the atleast one IED is operable to receive, in parallel, from the at least onePIU: a pre-configured data stream via a point-to-point connectionbetween the at least one PIU and the at least one IED; and one or moreother data streams via the Ethernet network; and wherein the at leastone IED is further operable to: determine that at least one of failureconditions is satisfied, the failure conditions including: at least oneframe in the pre-configured data stream is lost or delayed; a quality ofthe data in the at least one frame in the pre-configured data stream isbelow a first threshold; a period of a time associated with the data inthe at least one frame in the pre-configured data stream is below asecond threshold; and a health indicator associated with one of abehavior and an operation mode of the at least one PIU is below a thirdthreshold; responsive to the determination, identify at least oneredundant frame in the one or more other data streams; determine thatthe quality of the data in the at least one redundant frame is above thefirst threshold and the period of the time in the at least one redundantframe is above the second threshold; and based on the determination, ifthe result is positive, use the at least one redundant frame forprocessing, the processing including at least transforming the data. 2.The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one IED is further operable:if result of the determination is negative, determine a number of the atleast one frames in the pre-configured data stream for which the failureconditions are satisfied; if the number is below a tolerance threshold,label the at least one frame as having a poor quality and send the atleast one frame for further processing; and if the number is above thetolerance threshold, issue at least one alarm.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least one IED is further operable to determine whetherdata with a good quality are available in the pre-configured datastream.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one PIU includesat least one pre-configured communication port defined by one of afactory setting or a product code order.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein at least one of the pre-configured data stream and the one ormore other data streams includes at least one dataset, the at least onedataset including at least one field for a unique identifier (UID). 6.The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one IED is further operableto map the at least one dataset to a user-defined source based on theUID.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one IED is furtheroperable to transform the at least one dataset based on user-definedtransformation factors to avoid configuration by the at least one PIU.8. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one dataset includes aGeneric Object Oriented Substation Event.
 9. The system of claim 5,wherein the at least one dataset includes sampled values, the sampledvalues including at least one of a current output directly measured froma current transformer and a voltage output directly measured from avoltage transformer.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe pre-configured data stream and the one or more other data streams isformatted based at least on one of the IEC 61850 format or the IEC 61869format.